City of Hope has introduced a new model for all employees and volunteers to ensure excellent service. The model, called iCARE, improves interpersonal relationships among coworkers and reinforces delivery of compassionate care to patients and their family members.
A specially convened task force developed the iCARE model based on patient survey results and created the iCARE acronym so staff members could easily remember it. The model fits closely with other improvement efforts under way, such as ACE (Accelerating Care Excellence), which focuses on City of Hope systems and processes.
The iCARE model is based on these standards of behavior:
- Introduce yourself; demonstrate initiative
- Show compassion; instill confidence
- Acknowledge and anticipate patients’ needs
- Respect others; be responsive to others
- Explain what is happening; exceed expectations
Sponsors from the Organizational Development and Quality, Risk & Regulatory Management departments and other medical center executives will teach the elements of iCARE to staff members through training sessions.
City of Hope conducted its first pilot class in February with 22 employees from the Phlebotomy, Outpatient Registration and Health Information Management Services groups. Alexandra M. Levine, M.D., M.A.C.P., chief medical officer, kicked off the session by telling staff members how important they are to high-quality and compassionate patient care.
Evaluations indicated employees provided positive feedback about the pilot class. One participant said the training helped employees understand patients’ and family members’ everyday challenges and recommitted employees to do everything they could to assist patients with their care.
The iCARE training aims to develop the skills staff members need to maintain professional and helpful interactions with patients. The resulting high patient satisfaction will help uphold City of Hope as a premier hospital in the delivery of patient care.
Employees and volunteers in outpatient areas will be the first to undergo iCARE training, which ultimately will reach all employees at City of Hope. For more information, contact Tricia Kassab, R.N., B.S.N., M.S., vice president of quality and patient safety, at tkassab@coh.org. More information on iCARE soon will be available at www.coh.org/ace.
